Ripped Away
by T3rran
Summary: Oscar lays awake on a ship, remembering the two most precious things in his life, and how quickly they were taken from him.


(A/N: Wow, whipped this up in 51 minutes. Quite a record, if I do say so myself. Anyway, I recently picked up Path of Radiance from a good friend of mine, and let me just say, it's incredible. In fact, this story was inspired by a mission I played through, and the course of events really did happen.)

Oscar laid awake, knowing full well what had happened earlier in the day. The gentle rock of the boat heading away from Crimea was alluring to everyone, but to him, it brought nothing. He looked to his left, where Boyd should have been laying. His younger brother, Boyd... he could remember it fresh in his mind...

_Oscar was retreating back to cover the flanks of his fellow mercenaries. "Boyd, will you be all right here by yourself?" He asked his brother, tilting his horse towards the houses below. "I don't want to leave you here alone."_

_Boyd shouldered his axe in cocky manor. "What're you on about, Oscar? I can handle anything these guys throw at me. Now get down there with Mist, I'll be right behind you."_

"_Okay Boyd. I trust you. Don't linger too long." And with that, Oscar swung Mist onto his horse, and rode towards the main battle group the mercenaries had formed, and dropped off Mist. She kindly thanked him, and Oscar took up his defensive rear position, and when he turned around, he saw his worst nightmare. Dragon Knights. Three to be exact. The one with the green dragon... she was more than likely the leader. He quickly remembered Boyd, and where he left him behind at. The bridge..._

_They were close to it._

_Quickly scanning the field, he saw Boyd approaching, and on his back, he was carrying Soren. With the three Dragon Knights hot on his heels. "Hang on, Boyd! I'm coming!" He shouted, charging towards his brother, ready to defend him and ensure he made it back to the main task group._

_The Dragon Knights were relentless. They swiped at Boyd, but he kept going. Running with all his might, as fast as he could with Soren. However, it wasn't fast enough. The leader came swooping down like an angel of death. "Boyd! Look out!" Oscar shouted, but it was too late. The lance had pierced straight through Boyd's back. The sound of flesh ripping, and the look on Boyd's face change from that of a hero, to that of death._

_Oscar couldn't see straight as his eyes watered up, he watched Boyd fall to the ground lifeless, and the Dragon Knight switched targets to Soren. Oscar looked at his brothers limp body, "BOYD!" He screamed, his calm eyes barely able to withhold tears for his fallen brother._

The images played like a broken record, the same horrifying events over, and over, and over. Boyd rolled over, seeing the sleeping figure of Soren, who was able to survive, thanks to Boyd's heroic sacrafice. Soren escaped with a large rend that Mist was able to heal up, but Boyd... Boyd was gone. He was left laying in that town, for Oscar was unable to recover his body.

Unable to even come close to sleeping, Boyd got up and began wandering the ship, mostly everyone was asleep. He leaned over the railing, letting the sea's cool air rush over him, the calm waters doing nothing to ease the pain he had over his brother.

That's when he heard a sniffle, and it was followed by a sob. Curious, Oscar walked over to see Mist, crying. Oscar remained hidden, and watched her carefully, she laid crumpled over, crying on the side of a bed that was still made, and another one next to it that had its covers folded over. Most likely where Mist was going to sleep. Oscar watched Mist sob deeply on the bed where she laid her head, and he heard her whisper:

"Why Rolf... why did you have to die?"

Oscar felt his wounded heart break even more. He hadn't forgotten about Rolf's death either... Rolf was in a position behind allies, but... the commander was relentless. Instead of targeting the Knight they had rescued, he attacked Rolf.

Rolf took two arrows, one to his stomach, the other through his heart. And he was hit right beside Mist. Mist saw his eyes glass over in death, and Oscar remembered everything clearly...

"_ROLF!" Mist screamed, rushing over to his side. "Rolf! Please... please don't leave me! I don't want to lose anyone else!" She shook him lightly, hoping he was just out of it, hoping the wound wasn't fatal. "Please... Rolf..." She held his brothers head close her, stroking his hair, tears starting to stream down her face. She cried deeply, "Rolf... please move... please..."_

_Oscar watched from a distance, unable to break formation, else he get everyone else killed. He turned to face the enemy general, the look on his face... the look of satisfaction on his face. It made the normally serene Lance Knight blood boil rage. And the moment Ike gave the order to break the defensive barrier and strike, Oscar went straight for the commander. He wasted no time and stabbed him, wounding him severely, as Titania came up from the side to take his head right off his shoulders._

_Oscar turned back and looked, Ike ripping Mist away from Rolf's dead corpse. She screamed and shouted, and for the first time in his life, he saw Mist ignore Ike, and broke free from him to try and bring Rolf back to life..._

Oscar was about to take his leave, but Mist spotted him. Her eyes were puffy, her cheeks stained with tears, and fresh ones following the trails of the previous. "Oscar..." She sniffed, and hiccuped. Apparently, the resemblance between himself and Rolf proved too much for the little girl to handle. She ran up to him and hugged him close. "Why... why did they have to kill Rolf? Why? All he wanted was to help... and they took him away!"

Oscar, hesistant at first, patted the little girl on the head. "I know how you feel, Mist. I miss Rolf too... and Boyd..." The images of both their dead faces played in his mind again, "I miss them so much..." the Lance Warriors eyes began to water, "and they've only been gone one day..."

And for the first time since his joining of the Greil Mercenary group, Oscar broke free of his calm and serene posture. And Oscar, unable to contain the grief over his dead family members, cried.


End file.
